Bestest Present Ever!

As my mom was fond of saying, ‘today is a day for hurrying.’ Which she was right about, because getting ready for an eight year old kid’s birthday is not so easy. But I took a break when I passed the photo in the living room. We were on the beach; mom, dad – my real dad – and I. We were together in a big hug, Mom and I overshadowed by Dad’s grizzly-like arms. That was almost six years ago when I was fourteen.

A few weeks later, everything would be different. I would find out that Mom and Dad were faking their smiles; that they were destroying the only world I had ever known and ending their marriage. The divorce was bitter, and it was only several years later that I realized that Mom had used me like a dagger to cut at Dad’s heart. She dangled me in front of him, saying that she wouldn’t fight for custody if she got the car, then the house, and on and on. But somehow I stayed with her when the verdict came down.

Still, by the time I could drive, I slept over at his house a few times more than his visitation allowed. I was practically living with him by the time I was seventeen. When I turned eighteen, Mom swore I would have a huge birthday party. I told her I was coming to it on the phone even as Dad booked us tickets to Florida.

“Could you wrap that for me, Gary?” I asked.

He picked up the box filled with markers, crayons, brushes, and paper and gave me a strange look. “You know Jenny really likes Barbies?”

I shrugged, “You know that she’s eight, and will probably outgrow Barbies in a year or two?”

“Look, Gary, of the two of us, I’m the only one who’s been an eight year old girl. I think.” I then noticed something on his desk, a long blonde wig, “I hope that’s not part of your and Mom’s sex games.”

“I’m not going to be a part of your and Mom’s sex games.”

“Well, I had planned on drawing with Jenny today, so I don’t think I’ll take up your offer.” I walked out of the room, “Just get my present wrapped.” I yelled back.

“Oh wow!” She cried while pulling the wrapping off. “This is the bestest present ever!” Jenny jumped up and hugged me, “Thanks, sis.” While I hugged my step-sister, I looked to Mom and laughed at the steam curling off her devil horns.

“Are there any other presents?” Gary’s mom asked. I looked at the ground where the presents had been, but between the carcasses of wrapping paper and the second graders already playing Barbie for Jenny, I couldn’t see much.

“Whoa.” One said.

Flash forward three hours, and I still wasn’t quite sure if all this was real or a dream. I stood in front of a mirror, dressed in a blue gown and tiara. I still marveled that the Barbie in the reflection seemed to be me. I had a hectic afternoon, constantly juggled between elementary girls vying to play with a living Barbie. I never actually did anything Barbie didn’t do, but that, apparently, didn’t matter. Now I had a brief moment of respite as the girls had left and Jenny was taking a nap.

I saw Mom in the mirror walk from the kitchen to me. I had never seen her smile so broadly before. When she came to me, she knelt down and looked at my reflection. She brushed my Barbie blonde hair away from my face. “This is what you get when you choose a cheater over me.” Mom kissed my cheek, “Sweet dreams, Barbie.”